Difference between revisions of "Altar"

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{{features}}
 
{{features}}
 
{{religion}}
 
{{religion}}
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An '''altar''' is a [[dungeon feature]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]'' and is represented by an [[underscore]], {{lightgray|_}}. An altar is always dedicated to a [[god]], and is '''co-aligned''' if its [[alignment]] matches the alignment of the [[hero]], or '''cross-aligned''' if its alignment differs from theirs; altars to [[Moloch]] are always '''unaligned'''. A [[temple]] is a [[special room]] that contains an altar with an [[aligned priest]] of the altar's deity tending to it, and can occur randomly throughout the [[Dungeons of Doom]] and its branches, in addition to specific locations within it.
+
An '''altar''' is a [[dungeon feature]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]'' and is represented by an [[underscore]], {{lightgray|_}}.
  
−
Most active uses of an altar will break the [[atheist]] [[conduct]].
+
An altar is always dedicated to a [[god]], and is '''co-aligned''' if its [[alignment]] matches the alignment of the [[hero]], or '''cross-aligned''' if its alignment differs from theirs; altars to [[Moloch]] are always '''unaligned'''.
 +
 
 +
A [[temple]] is a [[special room]] that contains an altar with an [[aligned priest]] of the same alignment tending to it, and can occur randomly throughout the [[Dungeons of Doom]] and its branches, in addition to specific locations within them.
 +
 
 +
Most ways of interacting with an altar will break [[atheist]] [[conduct]].
  
 
==Generation==
 
==Generation==
−
There is an {{frac|60}} chance of an ordinary room containing an altar, with the exception of [[special room]]s{{refsrc|src/mklev.c|832|nethack=3.6.7}} - the altar cannot occupy any [[square]] that is cardinally adjacent to a [[door]] or occupied by another dungeon feature.{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/mklev.c|1613|comment=function mkaltar}} A randomly generated altar has an equal probability of being each of the three alignments; unaligned altars are never randomly generated. The god that an altar is dedicated to will always be from the hero's current pantheon, even if the altar was part of a [[bones]] level loaded from another character.
+
Randomly generated altars can appear in ordinary room-and-corridor levels in the [[Dungeons of Doom]] - there is an independent {{frac|60}} chance that any room that is not a [[special room]] contains an altar, and this chance is not dependent on dungeon level.{{refsrc|src/mklev.c|832|nethack=3.6.7}} Altars cannot occupy any [[square]] in a room that is cardinally adjacent to a [[door]] (diagonally adjacent altars are fine) or otherwise occupied by another dungeon feature.{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/mklev.c|1613|comment=function mkaltar}}
  
−
Altars are always generated in the following locations, including several [[Quest]] levels:
+
A randomly generated altar has an equal probability of being each of the three alignments, and is never unaligned. Altars that are part of a loaded [[bones]] level are adjusted to the pantheon of the [[hero]]'s current [[role]].
 +
 
 +
A [[Temple#Generation|randomly-generated temple]] that is not created in a "desecrated" state will always have an altar, usually placed in or near the center of the room - there are [[Temple#Special levels with temples|several special levels]] where temples can be encountered.
 +
 
 +
In addition, there are several guaranteed altars at the following locations:
  
 
* The [[Barbarian quest]] goal level has a chaotic altar in the northeastern portion of the cavern.
 
* The [[Barbarian quest]] goal level has a chaotic altar in the northeastern portion of the cavern.
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* The [[Monk quest]] goal level contains an unaligned altar placed on one of two squares within the level.
 
* The [[Monk quest]] goal level contains an unaligned altar placed on one of two squares within the level.
 
* The [[Wizard quest]] goal level contains a cross-aligned altar in the bottom of the two western-most rooms.
 
* The [[Wizard quest]] goal level contains a cross-aligned altar in the bottom of the two western-most rooms.
−
* [[Orcus-Town]] has a room containing an unaligned altar, which is ''not'' a temple though it may resemble one.
+
* [[Orcus-town]] has a room containing an unaligned altar, with the exception of a bones level where the altar was destroyed.
  
 
==Description==
 
==Description==
−
The alignment of an altar can be determined by either using [[far look]], or else standing on it and using [[near look]].
+
An altar can be used for various purposes, including [[#Sacrificing corpses|sacrifice]] as well as [[#Prayer|prayer]]. The alignment of an altar can be determined either by selecting it using [[far look]], or else by standing on it and using [[near look]].
  
−
Some special temples contain a '''high altar''' with a [[high priest]] tending to it: [[Moloch's Sanctum]] has a temple of Moloch with a high altar to him, and temples with high altars of each alignment always appear on the [[Astral Plane]]. None of these altars cannot be converted under any circumstances, and attempting to convert one will cause its god to reach maximum [[anger]] immediately and smite the offender - should they somehow survive, the god will also summon three [[minion]]s to protect the altar.
+
===Beatitude===
 +
If a character [[drop]]s one or more [[objects]] on an altar, either manually or under certain circumstances (e.g. from [[polymorph]]ing or [[slippery fingers]], but ''not'' from [[throw]]ing an object so that it lands on an altar), the altar will reveal the [[beatitude]] of the object(s):{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/do.c|269|comment=function doaltarobj}} A black flash marks a cursed item, while an amber flash marks a blessed one. Dropping an item on an altar this way breaks atheist conduct.
  
−
The [[far look]] command does not reveal the alignment of a high altar, saying only ''aligned'' or ''unaligned'' - ''aligned'' does not mean ''co-aligned with you''!
+
Characters cannot detect an item's beatitude if they are [[blind]]. Similarly, they cannot detect whether an item is blessed or cursed if they are [[hallucinating]], as the flashes will be of random hallucinatory colors - uncursed items can still be detected, as there will be no flash at all.
  
−
To [[ascend]], you must offer the [[Amulet of Yendor]] on the co-aligned high altar.
+
===Sacrificing corpses===
−
 
 
−
=== Detecting beatitude ===
 
−
 
 
−
If you [[drop]] an object on altar, the altar will reveal the [[beatitude]] of the object.{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/do.c|269|comment=function doaltarobj}} (This works only if you drop the object, not if a monster drops the object or the object is thrown.) A black flash marks a cursed item, and an amber flash marks a blessed one. You cannot detect an item's beatitude if you are [[blind]]. You cannot detect whether an item is blessed or cursed if you are [[hallucinating]], as the flashes will have hallucinatory colors; you can, however, detect uncursed items, as there will not be a flash at all.
 
−
 
 
−
=== Sacrificing corpses ===
 
 
{{main|Sacrifice}}
 
{{main|Sacrifice}}
 +
Sacrificing fresh corpses at a co-aligned altar with a prayer timeout above zero will reduce the timeout, while sacrificing with a prayer timeout of zero can increase [[luck]], improve the character's [[alignment record]], and may even reward them with powerful [[artifact weapon]]s.
  
−
Sacrificing fresh corpses is a useful way to reduce your prayer timeout, increase your luck, gain powerful [[artifact weapon]]s, and improve your [[alignment]] (particularly if your god is unhappy with you). In [[SLASH'EM]], you can also have wielded and worn items [[blessed]] and gain powerful [[minion]]s through sacrifice. [[Sacrifice|Sacrificing]] at the altar of another god has a chance of converting that altar to your alignment, potentially angering that god. Note that it also has a chance of converting ''you'' to that altar's alignment, angering your god and making it difficult or impossible to complete the [[quest]] if you haven't already done so.
+
Sacrificing at the altar of another god has a chance of converting that altar to the hero's alignment, potentially [[anger]]ing that altar's former god into sending a hostile minion after them - if their alignment record is poor enough, however, the hero ''themselves'' may be converted to that altar's alignment, angering their original god and making it difficult or impossible to complete the [[Quest]] (and thus possibly making the game [[unwinnable]]). A hero's alignment can only be converted this way once per game, and an already-converted hero instead incurs multiple penalties in any circumstance where another permanent conversion would occur from sacrifice.
−
 
 
−
=== Prayer ===
 
  
 +
===Prayer===
 
{{main|Prayer}}
 
{{main|Prayer}}
−
A prayer on a co-aligned altar has enhanced benefits.
+
A prayer on a co-aligned altar has enhanced benefits compared to normal prayer, though normal prayer timeouts still apply.
  
−
Normal prayer timeouts apply when praying on altars.
+
===Water prayer===
 +
{{main|Prayer#Water prayer|l1=Water prayer}}
 +
If a character successfully prays on an altar while one or more [[potions of water]] are on it, then in addition to any other effects of that prayer, the potions of water will be made into [[holy water]] if the altar is co-aligned, or [[unholy water]] otherwise.{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/pray.c|1230|comment=function water_prayer}} This breaks atheist conduct and occurs regardless of the water's initial beatitude - an unsuccessful prayer on a co-aligned altar will not change the beatitude of any water on that altar.
  
−
=== Making holy/unholy water ===
+
===Scaring monsters===
−
{{main|Prayer#Water prayer}}
+
Standing on any altar, even an unaligned altar, [[scare]]s [[vampire]]s as if the character were standing on [[Elbereth]] or a [[scroll of scare monster]].{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/monmove.c|153}} This does not break atheist conduct.
  
−
If you drop one or more [[potions of water]] onto an altar and [[pray]], the potions may become [[holy water]] or [[unholy water]].{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/pray.c|1230|comment=function water_prayer}} A [[prayer#Successful prayers|successful prayer]] on a co-aligned altar makes holy water. An unsuccessful prayer, or a prayer on a cross-aligned or unaligned alter, usually makes unholy water (but sometimes has no effect on the water). This occurs regardless of whether the water was blessed or cursed before. Be aware that prayer has other effects, especially prayer on a cross-aligned or unaligned altar.
+
===Misusing an altar===
 +
A character that [[sit]]s on, [[engrave]]s on or [[kick]]s an altar will experience negative effects depending on the altar alignment and their [[alignment record]].{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/sit.c|137|comment=sitting on altars}}{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/engrave.c|576|comment=engraving on altars}}{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/dokick.c|1061|comment=kicking altars}}{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/pray.c|2232|comment=function altar_wrath}} If the altar is co-aligned and your character's alignment record is greater than -[[rn2]](4), you lose one point of wisdom and one point of alignment record; otherwise, if your luck is greater than -5, you lose 0-2 points of luck.
  
−
=== Scaring monsters ===
+
Misusing an altar does not break atheist conduct.
  
−
Standing on any altar (even an unaligned altar) [[scare]]s [[vampire]]s as if you were standing on [[Elbereth]] or a [[scroll of scare monster]].{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/monmove.c|153}} This does not break [[atheist]] conduct.
+
===Digging an altar===
 +
If a character or a monster [[zap]]s a [[wand of digging]] downwards while on an altar, the digging ray will be ineffective, and nothing further happens. If a character [[applies]] a wand of digging to break it, or applies a [[drum of earthquake]], altars are not affected by the resulting creation of [[pit]]s and [[hole]]s.
  
−
=== Misusing an altar ===
+
===High altars===
 +
Some special temples contain a '''high altar''' with a [[high priest]] tending to it: [[Moloch's Sanctum]] has a temple of Moloch with a high altar to him, and temples with high altars of each alignment always appear on the [[Astral Plane]] - every character's goal is to reach their co-aligned temple on the Astral Plane  and offer the [[Amulet of Yendor]] on the temple's high altar in order to [[ascend]].
  
−
If you [[sit]] on,{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/sit.c|137}} [[engrave]] on,{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/engrave.c|576}} or [[kick]]{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/dokick.c|1061}} an altar, you will experience negative effects depending on the altar alignment and your [[alignment record]].{{refsrc|nethack=3.6.7|src/pray.c|2232|comment=function altar_wrath}}
+
High altars cannot be converted under any circumstances, and attempting to convert one will cause its god to reach maximum anger immediately and smite the offender - should they somehow survive, the god will also summon three hostile minions to protect the altar.
−
If the altar is co-aligned and your alignment record is greater than -[[rn2]](4), you lose one point of wisdom and one point of alignment record; otherwise, if your luck is greather than -5; you lose 0-2 points of luck.
 
  
−
Misusing an altar does not break [[atheist]] conduct.
+
Far looking at a high altar only reveals if the altar is aligned or unaligned, and an "aligned" high altar can be of any alignment, not necessarily ''your character's alignment''! Near looking at an altar functions as normal.
  
−
=== Digging an altar ===
+
==Strategy==
 +
An altar is an excellent source of various gifts such as artifact weapons, [[intrinsic protection]] and various other [[intrinsic properties]], [[spellbook]]s, [[holy water]], [[nutrition]], and other benefits. Because nutrition is available through prayer, it is possible to stay at an altar indefinitely, a practice known as [[altar farming]].
  
−
If you (or a monster) zap a [[wand of digging]] downwards while on an altar, the digging ray is ineffective, and nothing further happens. If you break a [[wand of digging]] or apply a [[drum of earthquake]], altars are not affected.
+
Misusing an altar can be used to deliberately lower luck or [[alignment record]] in order to prevent [[crowning]]: you can use a [[ring of sustain ability]] or a noncursed [[unicorn horn]] to counter wisdom loss, and a [[MSGTYPE]] to hide the complaints from the altar's god.
  
−
== Strategy ==
+
To find the correct high altar on the [[Astral Plane]], you can:
−
 
 
−
An altar is an excellent source of [[artifact weapons]], [[intrinsic protection]], other [[intrinsic property|intrinsic properties]], [[spellbooks]], [[holy water]], [[nutrition]], and other benefits. Because nutrition is available through prayer, it is possible to stay at an altar indefinitely, a practice known as [[altar farming]].
 
  
−
Misusing an altar can be used deliberately lower your [[luck]] or [[alignment record]] to prevent [[crowning]]. You can use a [[ring of sustain ability]] or a noncursed [[unicorn horn]] to counter wisdom loss, and a [[MSGTYPE]] to hide the complaints from the altar's god.
 
−
 
−
To find the correct high altar on the [[Astral Plane]], you can:
 
 
* visit each of the high altars
 
* visit each of the high altars
 
* zap a [[wand of probing]] at a [[high priest]]
 
* zap a [[wand of probing]] at a [[high priest]]
Line 73: Line 76:
 
* use a [[helm of opposite alignment]] to change your alignment opportunistically
 
* use a [[helm of opposite alignment]] to change your alignment opportunistically
  
−
== History ==
+
==History==
 +
In [[NetHack 3.4.3]] and previous versions, including variants based on those versions, various mechanics related to altars functions differently: breaking a wand of digging or applying a drum of earthquake is capable of destroying an altar, and the [[Astral call bug]] enabled players to find their correct high altar trivially. [[Pudding farming]] is also possible in these versions, and is employed to generate large numbers of corpses for altar fodder by repeatedly splitting [[pudding]]s.
  
−
In NetHack 3.4.3 and earlier, including variants based on those versions, [[pudding farming]] was a strategy for generating large numbers of corpses for altar fodder by repeatedly splitting puddings.
+
==Variants==
 +
===SLASH'EM===
 +
In [[SLASH'EM]], sacrifice at a co-aligned altar can grant various other boons, such as having [[wield]]ed and [[worn]] items blessed or even being granted [[tame]] minions. If a sacrifice at a cross-aligned altar converts that altar, there is a chance that the altar's original god will send two hostile minions after them{{refsrc|pray.c|1583|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} - this chance is calculated independently of the original chance that the altar's original god will send a hostile minion, which is increased compared to ''NetHack''.{{refsrc|pray.c|1606|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} This makes altar conversion very dangerous for the unprepared, though high luck reduces the chance of minions generating in either case.
  
−
In NetHack 3.4.3 and earlier, including variants based on those versions, breaking a [[wand of digging]] or applying a [[drum of earthquake]] would destroy an altar.
+
====Messages====
 +
{{message|You feel <god> is very angry at you!|A god sent two hostile minions after you.}}
  
−
In NetHack 3.4.3 and earlier, including variants based on those versions, the [[Astral call bug]] enabled players to find the correct high altar trivially.
+
===NetHack brass===
 +
In [[NetHack brass]], sacrificing at a cross-aligned altar will always cause that altar's god to send a hostile minion after you, with two independent chances of an additional hostile minion being generated, all of which occur before the chance of the altar being converted is calculated.<ref>src/pray.c in brass 040923</ref> Once the first pre-conversion minion is generated, two rolls are made: the first is from 0 to 9, while the second is from 0 to 19, and for each randomly rolled number that is less than the character's experience level, a hostile minion is summoned; luck has no effect on any of these rolls. This means that an especially unfortunate character attempting to convert an altar at low experience levels may end up being forced to flee from or contend with up to four hostile minions.
  
−
== Encyclopedia entry ==
+
===dNetHack===
 +
In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], altars that belong to specific gods rather than a generic alignment can be generated - these altars are used for temple altars that have priests tending to them, and can also be generated in certain locations. These altars will not be set to the hero's pantheon when loaded in a bones level, and it is even possible to perform a conversion from one pantheon to another.
 +
 
 +
==Encyclopedia entry==
 
{{encyclopedia|
 
{{encyclopedia|
 
Altars are of three types:
 
Altars are of three types:
Line 98: Line 109:
 
|[ Lays of Ancient Rome, by Thomas B. Macaulay ]
 
|[ Lays of Ancient Rome, by Thomas B. Macaulay ]
 
}}
 
}}
−
 
−
== Variants ==
 
−
Players of [[NetHack brass]] and [[SLASH'EM]] need to be wary when converting altars, because of the increased chance that the altar's original god will dispatch a [[minion]] against you.{{refsrc|pray.c|1606|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} Players with a high [[luck]] will have fewer minions dispatched against them.
 
−
 
−
Even worse, there's an additional chance of one or more minions appearing post-conversion. In SLASH'EM, if you are at experience level 4 or above, there is a chance that "You feel (god) is very angry at you!" and the god dispatches two minions.{{refsrc|pray.c|1583|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} Afterwards, you still have the original chance of another minion, as above. Again, [[luck]] is a factor.
 
−
 
−
In [[NetHack brass]], you will always receive "You feel (god) is very angry at you!" For all experience levels, at least one minion will appear. Two rolls are made: the first from 0 to 9, the second from 0 to 19.  For each roll, if your level is less than the generated random number, a post-conversion minion is summoned.  [[Luck]] is not a factor. Thus in brass it is very dangerous to convert altars. You might convert an altar at experience level one and have to flee to another level from one minion, or three minions if the game rolled 0 twice, thus giving you no use of the converted altar. If converting an altar at experience level 7 or above, you might still get the pre-conversion minion, forcing you to fight as many as four summoned minions.<ref>src/pray.c in brass 040923</ref>
 
−
 
−
Also, there seems to be a possibility in SLASH'EM to have equipment being worn blessed if you sacrifice enough.
 
−
 
−
== See also ==
 
−
* [[Prayer]]
 
−
* [[Sacrifice]]
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==

Latest revision as of 11:33, 12 July 2024

Dungeon features
  Air _ Altar
# Corridor # Cloud
#. Drawbridge +-| Door
. Doorway { Fountain
| Headstone .  Floor
>< Ladder . Ice
# Iron bars } Lava
} Moat # Sink
  Solid rock >< Staircase
\ Throne ^" Trap
# Tree - | Wall
~ Vibrating square
Religion in NetHack

An altar is a dungeon feature that appears in NetHack and is represented by an underscore, _.

An altar is always dedicated to a god, and is co-aligned if its alignment matches the alignment of the hero, or cross-aligned if its alignment differs from theirs; altars to Moloch are always unaligned.

A temple is a special room that contains an altar with an aligned priest of the same alignment tending to it, and can occur randomly throughout the Dungeons of Doom and its branches, in addition to specific locations within them.

Most ways of interacting with an altar will break atheist conduct.

Generation

Randomly generated altars can appear in ordinary room-and-corridor levels in the Dungeons of Doom - there is an independent 1⁄60 chance that any room that is not a special room contains an altar, and this chance is not dependent on dungeon level.[1] Altars cannot occupy any square in a room that is cardinally adjacent to a door (diagonally adjacent altars are fine) or otherwise occupied by another dungeon feature.[2]

A randomly generated altar has an equal probability of being each of the three alignments, and is never unaligned. Altars that are part of a loaded bones level are adjusted to the pantheon of the hero's current role.

A randomly-generated temple that is not created in a "desecrated" state will always have an altar, usually placed in or near the center of the room - there are several special levels where temples can be encountered.

In addition, there are several guaranteed altars at the following locations:

  • The Barbarian quest goal level has a chaotic altar in the northeastern portion of the cavern.
  • The Healer quest home level has a neutral altar in the room directly west of the central room.
  • The Monk quest goal level contains an unaligned altar placed on one of two squares within the level.
  • The Wizard quest goal level contains a cross-aligned altar in the bottom of the two western-most rooms.
  • Orcus-town has a room containing an unaligned altar, with the exception of a bones level where the altar was destroyed.

Description

An altar can be used for various purposes, including sacrifice as well as prayer. The alignment of an altar can be determined either by selecting it using far look, or else by standing on it and using near look.

Beatitude

If a character drops one or more objects on an altar, either manually or under certain circumstances (e.g. from polymorphing or slippery fingers, but not from throwing an object so that it lands on an altar), the altar will reveal the beatitude of the object(s):[3] A black flash marks a cursed item, while an amber flash marks a blessed one. Dropping an item on an altar this way breaks atheist conduct.

Characters cannot detect an item's beatitude if they are blind. Similarly, they cannot detect whether an item is blessed or cursed if they are hallucinating, as the flashes will be of random hallucinatory colors - uncursed items can still be detected, as there will be no flash at all.

Sacrificing corpses

Main article: Sacrifice

Sacrificing fresh corpses at a co-aligned altar with a prayer timeout above zero will reduce the timeout, while sacrificing with a prayer timeout of zero can increase luck, improve the character's alignment record, and may even reward them with powerful artifact weapons.

Sacrificing at the altar of another god has a chance of converting that altar to the hero's alignment, potentially angering that altar's former god into sending a hostile minion after them - if their alignment record is poor enough, however, the hero themselves may be converted to that altar's alignment, angering their original god and making it difficult or impossible to complete the Quest (and thus possibly making the game unwinnable). A hero's alignment can only be converted this way once per game, and an already-converted hero instead incurs multiple penalties in any circumstance where another permanent conversion would occur from sacrifice.

Prayer

Main article: Prayer

A prayer on a co-aligned altar has enhanced benefits compared to normal prayer, though normal prayer timeouts still apply.

Water prayer

Main article: Water prayer

If a character successfully prays on an altar while one or more potions of water are on it, then in addition to any other effects of that prayer, the potions of water will be made into holy water if the altar is co-aligned, or unholy water otherwise.[4] This breaks atheist conduct and occurs regardless of the water's initial beatitude - an unsuccessful prayer on a co-aligned altar will not change the beatitude of any water on that altar.

Scaring monsters

Standing on any altar, even an unaligned altar, scares vampires as if the character were standing on Elbereth or a scroll of scare monster.[5] This does not break atheist conduct.

Misusing an altar

A character that sits on, engraves on or kicks an altar will experience negative effects depending on the altar alignment and their alignment record.[6][7][8][9] If the altar is co-aligned and your character's alignment record is greater than -rn2(4), you lose one point of wisdom and one point of alignment record; otherwise, if your luck is greater than -5, you lose 0-2 points of luck.

Misusing an altar does not break atheist conduct.

Digging an altar

If a character or a monster zaps a wand of digging downwards while on an altar, the digging ray will be ineffective, and nothing further happens. If a character applies a wand of digging to break it, or applies a drum of earthquake, altars are not affected by the resulting creation of pits and holes.

High altars

Some special temples contain a high altar with a high priest tending to it: Moloch's Sanctum has a temple of Moloch with a high altar to him, and temples with high altars of each alignment always appear on the Astral Plane - every character's goal is to reach their co-aligned temple on the Astral Plane and offer the Amulet of Yendor on the temple's high altar in order to ascend.

High altars cannot be converted under any circumstances, and attempting to convert one will cause its god to reach maximum anger immediately and smite the offender - should they somehow survive, the god will also summon three hostile minions to protect the altar.

Far looking at a high altar only reveals if the altar is aligned or unaligned, and an "aligned" high altar can be of any alignment, not necessarily your character's alignment! Near looking at an altar functions as normal.

Strategy

An altar is an excellent source of various gifts such as artifact weapons, intrinsic protection and various other intrinsic properties, spellbooks, holy water, nutrition, and other benefits. Because nutrition is available through prayer, it is possible to stay at an altar indefinitely, a practice known as altar farming.

Misusing an altar can be used to deliberately lower luck or alignment record in order to prevent crowning: you can use a ring of sustain ability or a noncursed unicorn horn to counter wisdom loss, and a MSGTYPE to hide the complaints from the altar's god.

To find the correct high altar on the Astral Plane, you can:

History

In NetHack 3.4.3 and previous versions, including variants based on those versions, various mechanics related to altars functions differently: breaking a wand of digging or applying a drum of earthquake is capable of destroying an altar, and the Astral call bug enabled players to find their correct high altar trivially. Pudding farming is also possible in these versions, and is employed to generate large numbers of corpses for altar fodder by repeatedly splitting puddings.

Variants

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, sacrifice at a co-aligned altar can grant various other boons, such as having wielded and worn items blessed or even being granted tame minions. If a sacrifice at a cross-aligned altar converts that altar, there is a chance that the altar's original god will send two hostile minions after them[10] - this chance is calculated independently of the original chance that the altar's original god will send a hostile minion, which is increased compared to NetHack.[11] This makes altar conversion very dangerous for the unprepared, though high luck reduces the chance of minions generating in either case.

Messages

You feel <god> is very angry at you!
A god sent two hostile minions after you.

NetHack brass

In NetHack brass, sacrificing at a cross-aligned altar will always cause that altar's god to send a hostile minion after you, with two independent chances of an additional hostile minion being generated, all of which occur before the chance of the altar being converted is calculated.[12] Once the first pre-conversion minion is generated, two rolls are made: the first is from 0 to 9, while the second is from 0 to 19, and for each randomly rolled number that is less than the character's experience level, a hostile minion is summoned; luck has no effect on any of these rolls. This means that an especially unfortunate character attempting to convert an altar at low experience levels may end up being forced to flee from or contend with up to four hostile minions.

dNetHack

In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, altars that belong to specific gods rather than a generic alignment can be generated - these altars are used for temple altars that have priests tending to them, and can also be generated in certain locations. These altars will not be set to the hero's pantheon when loaded in a bones level, and it is even possible to perform a conversion from one pantheon to another.

Encyclopedia entry

Altars are of three types:
1. In Temples. These are for Sacrifices [...]. The stone
top will have grooves for blood, and the whole will be covered
with _dry brown stains of a troubling kind_ from former
Sacrifices.

[ The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, by Diana Wynne Jones ]


To every man upon this earth
Death cometh soon or late;
And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds
For the ashes of his fathers
And the temples of his gods?

[ Lays of Ancient Rome, by Thomas B. Macaulay ]

References

  1. ↑ src/mklev.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 832
  2. ↑ src/mklev.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1613: function mkaltar
  3. ↑ src/do.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 269: function doaltarobj
  4. ↑ src/pray.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1230: function water_prayer
  5. ↑ src/monmove.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 153
  6. ↑ src/sit.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 137: sitting on altars
  7. ↑ src/engrave.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 576: engraving on altars
  8. ↑ src/dokick.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1061: kicking altars
  9. ↑ src/pray.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2232: function altar_wrath
  10. ↑ pray.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 1583
  11. ↑ pray.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 1606
  12. ↑ src/pray.c in brass 040923
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